Da Nang, Nov. 20 -- Vietnam's UNESCO World Heritage sites - the Complex of Hue Monuments and Hoi An Ancient Town in the central cities of Hue and Da Nang have suffered the worst flooding in decades, forcing municipal authorities to confront accelerating climate threats to irreplaceable cultural assets.

Floodwaters encircle heritage sites

Iconic structures vanished beneath floodwaters, with only the roof of Hue's Nghinh Luong Pavilion poking above the swollen Huong river. Torrents poured through imperial gates, submerging the entire Dai Noi (Imperial Palace) and leaving courtyards and pathways under 1.2-1.5m of water.

The Hue Monuments Conservation Centre (HMCC) reported multiple palaces inside the Imperial Citadel flooded to depths of ...